PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio reported the Missouri Supreme Court last week "delivered what could become a fatal blow" to the NFL’s "obsession with allowing a non-lawyer to make legal decisions that could be influenced by business interests unrelated to what the law requires." In a lawsuit filed more than four years ago by former Rams equipment manager Todd Hewitt, the court "invalidated the requirement of submitting all claims to arbitration resolved by the Commissioner." The ruling "provides a blueprint for employees who hope to avoid Commissioner-resolved arbitration in the other 21 states in which the NFL does business." It also gives the NFLPA and the NFL Referees Association "a potential hammer for challenging in court the ability of the Commissioner to continue to serve as the arbitrator over claims" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 5/5).
GREAT EXPERIENCE: NFL Network's Rich Eisen said of the '15 Draft in Chicago, "What they did for the draft was remarkable. It was unbelievable. There will never be an NFL Draft without an outdoor component again. .... It really was mind-blowing. Normally, in the ... third day of a draft, we're showing fans -- diehards -- asleep in the fourth level of Radio City Music Hall. Now, there were a quarter of a million people strolling around Grant Park." Eisen added he "can't imagine" Chicago does not host the draft again next year. Eisen: "It was a totally different atmosphere than any televised draft has ever seen" ("The Dan Patrick Show," 5/5).
LESSON TO LEARN: ESPNW's Mechelle Voepel wrote both USA Basketball and the WNBA "need to make clear statements about domestic violence" after the incident involving Mercury C Brittney Griner. This "must be seen as a time to take a true leadership stand, to be proactive and not dwell for too long in the 'gathering information' mode." In cases where the parties are of the same sex, we "can't be any less diligent about demanding accountability from those involved." The league "doesn't specifically reference domestic violence" in its CBA, "but does allow for punishment regarding general off-court incidents" (ESPNW.com, 5/5).
